Whoa

Guess who just got up on all fours and started scooting backwards??

I'll give you a clue. It wasn't the furry one.

Christmas Aftermath

Christmas has come and gone. We had a wonderful time with family and friends. Little Dude was sufficiently worn out from all of it! This morning he didn't get out of bed until 10am. Then he napped from 11:15am-1:30pm. He was tired!! Mommy got an amazing new camera for Christmas. Since then, Little Dude has been tortured modeling non-stop. Here are two of my favorites!

We managed to get Little Dude's massive amount of presents put away and have found his bedroom floor again. Seriously, that guy got SO many new toys and clothes it's not even funny. To say he is spoiled is definitely an understatement.

Now we are gearing up for Aunt M's wedding this weekend. It will be so nice to see family we don't see very often! Hopefully Little Dude is up for another very busy weekend. We hope you had a great holiday!

Happy Holidays!

We would like to wish all of our friends and family a very Merry Christmas! We hope you truly enjoy your holiday.

Merry Christmas from the Mommy, the Daddy and Little Dude!

A Letter to Mr. House

Dear Home,

I love you very much. Maybe I don't tell you that enough. Is that why you are revolting against us? As if a possible busted shower pan in the guest bathroom wasn't enough, you really think a clogged drain was needed on top of that? And it couldn't be just any old drain. It has to be the washing machine drain. Mr. House, do you know how much laundry this mommy has to do? Between mommy, daddy and Little Dude, we easily have a load every other day if not more often than that. Did you not get the memo that it is Christmastime? If you keep this up, Santa will bring you coal. However, I promise to love you and hug you forever if you stop with the ridiculousness.

Love,

The Mommy

Poor Baby

Guess who was wrong? The Mommy.

Guess who has strep throat? This baby.

However, he is still happy. That picture is from just a few minutes ago. Granted he sounds like a dying seal when he coughs, but at least he doesn't feel quite as bad as he sounds! He's been waking up a lot at night (which makes for a very tired mommy since he is still nursing). Poor guy can't breathe very well while he is eating, so he doesn't eat as much at one sitting. We went to the doctor yesterday and have meds. Little Dude should be feeling better within the next 24 hours. I hate that he got sick even when I went out of my way to make sure he didn't get sick.

Everyone tells me it is a fact of life that he will get sick. I wish it weren't so. There should be a transfer button on babies so you can transfer their pain/sickness to yourself. Hurry! Someone go invent it now!

Adventures with the Daddy

This is what happens when the Daddy feeds Little Dude dinner.

Little Dude and the Daddy are clearly enjoying themselves.

Silly boys and their adventures.

Big Boy

While I have known first hand since the beginning that Little Dude is a big guy, I sometimes forget just how big he really is. Little Dude is mainly very tall, but he is also very strong for his age. He now sits by himself for a few minutes and will stand for a few minutes as well if he has someone's hands to hold on to. We are used to this, but are sometimes reminded just how big he really is. This point was articulated while we were out last night.

The daddy and I decided to have a nice sit down dinner at a quiet restaurant. Of course Little Dude was with us, but he is well behaved. We sat down for dinner and the waiter seemed very interested in Little Dude. He was talking to him, smiling at him, waving....basically anything to get Little Dude's attention. Since our son is a ham, he stood on daddy's lap and smiled right back.

The waiter was very friendly and near the end of dinner he asked "How old is he? 8 months? 9 months?".

I responded "Oh no.... he is 4 1/2 months".

The waiter then informed us what we sometimes forget. "Wow. He is a big boy!"

He is a big boy. A big, squirmy, rolly, smiley, cuddly bundle of love.

Mommy's Day Out

Mommy and Daddy had a day out without Little Dude for the first time since he was born. Mommy surprised Daddy with tickets to see the Longhorns play in the Big XII Championship game at the new Cowboys stadium, aka Jerryworld. Here we are outside the stadium. It was cooooold!

This was the view from our seats!

We were right near the trophy during the pre-game festivities. Mommy walked down and got this great shot of the trophy which now belongs to The University of Texas!

We had a great time!! And let me just say that there were only 3 calls made to check on Little Dude (pre-game, half-time, and post-game). I think that is quite the accomplishment for this mommy!

Little Dude has been trying all kinds of new foods this past week. So far he has had sweet potatoes (loved), carrots (loved), green beans (liked okay), and squash (loved). We also gave him prunes to *ahem* move things along. Needless to say, they worked quite well. Nana and Poppers can vouch for that since they were the ones who got to deal with the aftermath (sorry and thanks again).

One final note: Baby shoes are one of the cutest things ever. We are a fan of Robeez shoes. We look at www.babysteals.com every day because they offer great deals. Last week, we bought these for Little Dude (for half price!). Aren't they adorable??

And in case you were wondering, Mommy is feeling much better and Little Dude didn't get sick at all!

Busy Boy

Little Dude got to see snow for the first time today! We awoke to a nice little blanket of snow on the ground, which very quickly melted, but was there long enough to snap a photo of Daddy & Little Dude.

I was planning to write today about how busy Little Dude is and how he was squirming to the point of nearly rolling over. Well, I can't write about that now because HE ROLLS OVER BY HIMSELF from his back to his tummy! He's barely 4 months old....so isn't it early for him to be doing that??

This week, Nana and Grammy have been helping watch Little Dude during the day because I am sick. After going to the doctor this morning, it has been determined that I have strep throat. Not fun. However, because of this his Grammy got to see him roll from his back to tummy for the first time! He was playing on his back and Grammy said "Look! He is about to roll over" and 15 seconds later he rolled completely over. So exciting! Here he is after he rolled over!

Little Dude also kicks his legs like crazy when he is on the floor on his tummy. He looks like he is trying to crawl. I think I will have my hands full in a very short time.

The Aftermath

Thanksgiving "break" has come and gone. I am sufficiently exhausted from it! We enjoyed spending time with our families. Uncle J & Aunt K were in town for the break, so it was nice spending time with them. We spent Thanksgiving day with my family and then we all went over to Gabs' house for dinner. It was a very yummy dinner! Here is Little Dude in his Thanksgiving duds.

On Friday, we had a surprise baby shower for Aunt K. We did a long distance shower, which basically means we had everyone send gifts to my home and we showered her here from near & far. She was *very* surprised. It seemed like they had a good time at the shower. Thanks to everyone who helped me pull it off! The daddy was especially helpful when it came time to set up. He played with Little Dude and helped me stay calm. Here is a small taste of the big response we had for the shower!

My best friend came for a visit on Saturday and got to meet Little Dude for the first time. It was so much fun spending time with her and her family! We met at Grammy & Grampa's house and spent most of the day out there. Little Dude tried his second food...carrots. They were a big hit! Little Dude has yet to meet a food that he doesn't like.

On Sunday we went over to Nana & Poppers. Poppers showed Little Dude all of the nutcrackers they have up at their house.

Little Dude also enjoyed looking at the lights on the Christmas tree. I think he will enjoy the holiday season with all of the lights!

Thanksgiving

This week Little Dude began eating baby food. First up - Sweet Potatoes. They were quickly scarfed down. He loves them!

Tomorrow, he will have sweet potatoes again (have to feed him the same food for 3-4 days to check for allergies). It will definitely be a Happy Thanksgiving for him!

Last Thanksgiving we were so excited to tell our families the exciting news that we would have a little one joining the family. We gave Nana, Grammy, Gabs and Aunt M bags to open, all of which had a pacifier in it. I still remember how excited every one was! This year, we have even more to be thankful for. Little Dude is definitely at the top of my list for things I am thankful for!

Take the time to reflect on the things that you are thankful for and tell your loved ones how you feel! From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Car Ride, Football Game, and a Doctor Visit

Little Dude went on his first road trip this weekend. We took him to see the University of Texas Longhorns play their last football home game of the season. Plus we figured we should introduce him to his future alma mater. Brain wash much? He did *awesome* on the car ride! He slept for the most part, but also talked and played with his toys some. Here he is just hanging out.

We had seats in the new upper North End Zone. We love sitting in this area. You have a great view of the field and of the godzillatron jumbo TV (which Little Dude enjoyed staring at).

How this is possible is beyond me, but Little Dude actually slept some during the game. The loud noises didn't seem to bother him. Not the canons going off, the crowd yelling, the music playing, nothing. The only thing he got irritated with was when his bottle was not the correct temperature. Thankfully a sweet lady at the concession stand made that all better.

Since Little Dude was with us, they counted me as having a "mobility impairment" since I was wearing him. We got to take the elevator up (which saved us from having to walk up 10 stories worth of ramps). Unbeknownst to us, there are some really cool artwork/sculptures by the elevator! Here is our little family in front of one of the pieces we saw.

Some of our good friends offered to let us stay at their home so we didn't have to drive all the way back home after the game. I've never traveled with an infant before and now I know why. This is only *some* of the stuff we had to take with us. I think there were 3 other brown paper bags in the car. However, it was very nice being able to get some rest and have more time to spend with our friends.

And finally....

Little Dude went to the doctor today. He will be 4 months old on Friday (how that is possible is beyond me, because I swear he was just born yesterday). He is 15lbs 5 oz (65th percentile) and 26 1/4 inches (90th percentile). The doctor said that he is tall, thin and very healthy! Next up....baby food!

Playtime, Lessons & Discoveries

While playing with Little Dude this morning, a huge question came up. What is the plural form of octopus? I began to think of the possible answers. Octopi...which sounds like a bad dessert. Octopuses...which just sounds weird. I didn't know the answer! I'd like for my son to have good grammar so I try to use the correct form of words except when I'm doing the baby talk voice. I ended up just saying "Are you playing with your octopus toys", but it has been bugging me ever since!

Wikipedia to the rescue. While most people would say that Octopi is the plural form, that is wrong. -i is the Latin plural for the -us ending. Octopus is a Greek derived word. Therefore the correct plural form of octopus is ....and I kid not... Octopodes. To me, this sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie. "Attack of the Octopodes" and "Octopodes from Outer Space" come to mind. Needless to say, my child will be hearing the now commonly used and accepted octopuses. Or I might just stick to calling them the octopus toys since I wasn't pleased with the answer! hah!

Little Dude made a discovery yesterday: his thumb. He now sometimes sucks on just his thumb, instead of 2 or 3 fingers. It is absolutely, positively a-dor-able. Can this kid do anything that *isn't* cute? I think not, but I'm a little biased. Speaking of biased, his Grammy and Grampa came by yesterday to spoil visit him. He was quite the talkative little man, as usual. They enjoyed playing with him and spending time with him. It is so fun seeing his personality emerge. I think we have a very happy and well loved baby!

Drools and Giggles

It has come to my attention that there is a very common misconception about babies. People say all the time that babies drool. I have to disagree. Babies do not drool (at least not my son). They spit. Gobs and gobs of spit. When a bib is soaked in less than an hour, I don't call that drool. When he makes razz noises while the drool comes out of his mouth, I don't call that drool. That is spit. And you know what? I love every little drop of it. How could I not when he is so cute?!

We have quite the little giggle box on our hands. Little Dude loves to laugh and does it quite often. We are usually not fast enough with the camera or we are too enthralled with the giggles that we forget to grab the camera. The daddy and I were getting Little Dude ready for bed the other night and we caught this moment on camera. Enjoy!

Real Tears

So this guy, ya know, the cutest, happiest baby in the world who never cries......

Yeah...he cried real tears tonight. REAL tears! Do you know how much this broke my heart? Ugh. It was so sad seeing him cry.

And what exactly was it that made him cry? ........... His daddy. Sneezing. Needless to say, I did not say "Bless you".

Firsts

Little Dude had many different "firsts" today. He has been quite the overachiever today! I caught a couple of these "firsts" on camera, but not all of them.

This morning we were having tummy time. I put the musical toy that his Nana gave him for Halloween in front of him. Out of nowhere, he reaches out and grabs it. He pushed the button and made the music play...numerous times! He has never reached out to grab toys while he is on his tummy! I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture. And then guess where the toy went... Straight to his mouth. Yum. Toys must taste good because that is where they always go now!

We weren't planning on starting him on cereal until his next doctor's appointment (2 weeks from today). But, when you are a mommy, you know when your child is ready for something new. And, trust me, he was ready! I went back and forth with the decision all day and finally decided to just do it. Here he is with one of his first bites.

Looks like he is saying "Yum!"

He seemed to really enjoy the cereal. After he finished the small amount of cereal, I gave him a small bottle. He then proceeded to hold it himself!

Why do I have the sinking feeling that I will soon be chasing him around the house?

Talks & Toots

Little Dude just went down for the night so technically this is mommy's down time. But the daddy finally found a program to convert the videos so I HAD to share!!

Here is Little Dude talking to his octopus toy and if you listen closely you will hear a little toot about halfway through. Yes, yes I know. One day he will look at this and go "Moooooom! I can't believe you put that on the internet for the world to see!". All I have to say to that is "one day" is not today and even his toots are cute to me!

Fun Outside

We have had the most beautiful fall weather here! The leaves are changing, the sun is shining and the temperatures are very comfortable. We are taking advantage of it as much as we can!

For all of you mommies (and daddies) out there, I highly encourage you to let your baby explore the world around them. After all, that is how they learn! Little Dude got to lay outside on a blanket with his feet in the grass. He loved it.

We played with toys and talked about everything we saw and heard. We talked about everything from the barking dogs to the wind blowing through the trees and the leaves on the ground to the birds in the sky. Another fun idea is to blow bubbles and let your baby watch.

Little Dude is officially in the stage of wanting to put EVERYTHING into his mouth. If he grabs it, 9 times out of 10 it is headed straight for his mouth. The latest victim: his cow.

Little Dude made some more art projects, which we will share next time. We hope you have a great weekend! (And incase you were wondering, the daddy still hasn't gotten the program to convert the videos yet...Hopefully that will come soon!)

Weekend Wrap Up

How is it Wednesday and I haven't updated this yet?? Little Dude is napping, so we will see how far I get...

Little Dude had a great first Halloween. He got to see Grammy & Grampa, Nana & Poppers and Gabs & Boomps. He did great while he was in his costume. He even slept through the doorbell and the dog's incessant barking when the trick or treaters came to our house. We are so lucky to have such a happy baby!

Little Dude has been SO talkative lately. He loves to talk to his toys. He will lay on his ocean mat, look up at the octopus and talk talk talk! Little Dude tells the best stories. I wanted to put a video on here, but the daddy has to convert our videos into a format that will work on here.

On Saturday, Little Dude was playing in his exersaucer. He has discovered how to turn himself around in the saucer and enjoys exploring the different toys. I think he found a toy that annoyed him that day though. He is giving the toy the "are you serious?" look.

We went shopping this weekend for some Christmas outfits for Little Dude. We are having pictures taken this weekend for our Christmas card. We found the *cutest* outfits for him to wear during his pictures. We also started looking for an outfit for him to wear to his Aunt M's wedding. We haven't found the perfect outfit yet. And as much as the daddy seems to think he should go as Spiderman...the mommy has veto power and will win this battle.

Well my love muffin just woke up, so that is all for now. Hopefully next time I will be able to post a video of him!

Happy Halloween!

Fall is in the air and we are very excited to be celebrating Little Dude's first Halloween.

Little Dude has been working hard making special projects for his first halloween. We had a play date with his little Girlfriend yesterday. Girlfriend's mommy had some cute projects for them to do together. Messy, yes, but so much fun! These are easy to do with finger paints & construction paper.

We made ghosts

Monsters

And painted his first pumpkin

Here is Little Dude with his masterpiece!

Then last night, we had family fun and carved Little Dude's first pumpkin! He really enjoyed watching Mommy and Daddy doing all the hard work.

Happy Halloween, from our little Tigger!

The Many Faces

Three months ago today, I was in a hospital room patiently awaiting the arrival of my dear boy. I know I say this all the time, but it is SO hard to believe that he is already 3 months old. I'm not sure where the time is going... but it is certainly flying by!

In the short 3 months that Little Dude has been alive, he has developed quite the personality. He smiles, laughs, talks, coos, squeals and, yes, he even occasionally cries. Today we were driving out to visit his Grammy and Grampa. Little Dude was chatting it up with his Tigger lovie. I just had to smile. It is so hard to even remember what my life was like before he came along. He brings us so much joy!

Today, I present you with the many faces of Little Dude.

Inquisitive:

Bashful:

Talkative:

And, of course, Happy!

Happy 3 Months, Little Dude!

Pumpkin Patch

The daddy and I have been meaning to take Little Dude to the pumpkin patch to get some pictures of Little Dude. But between naps, feedings, playtime and everything else that goes into a normal day, we haven't found the time. Plus there is always the concern of having him around other kids during the flu season. Since I know that many people don't have pumpkin patches in their area, I thought I would share my idea with you. If you are anything like me, you enjoy things in life that are quick, simple and inexpensive. So I came up with a quick and easy way to make your own pumpkin patch right at home for under $10!

We bought a large real pumpkin at Wal-Mart for less than $4. After Thanksgiving last year, I bought some fall leaves that came with little pumpkins and pinecones. You can find these at Wal-Mart or any craft store. The nice thing is, they can be used over and over again so the only cost for next year would be the pumpkin!

We took Little Dude into our backyard and put the large pumpkin on the ground. You could easily do this in your own yard, a park or even indoors if the weather is bad. I threw the leaves and pumpkins around where he was going to sit. Since he is so young, we put him in his Bumbo chair. While I was taking pictures, he enjoyed feeling the leaves and pumpkins, so it was also a sensory activity for him at the same time!

The end result? Complete and utter cuteness!

Laughter

Just a quick note before I get into the good stuff. I will be referring to my son (the cutie with the rad shades) as Little Dude throughout this blog. I am the mommy and my hubby is the daddy. For our own personal safety reasons, we are choosing to not put our names out there. Now, on with the show!

I think I had forgotten what it felt like to sleep more than 3-4 hours at a time. Last night, Little Dude slept from 9pm until 6:45am. Then he ate & went down until 9:30am. This makes for a very happy & well rested mommy! Good thing because we have a busy weekend ahead.

In life, I've learned it is very important to laugh at things. A random topic came up last night relating to the movie Casper. The daddy commented that I had a strange resemblance to Christina Ricci. He said among other things, we had the same nose. I then explained that my nose is like a bunny slope. A nice, soft slope with the tiniest lift at the end. Without hesitation, the daddy responds "So what does that make mine? The matterhorn??". Oh dear Lord, three things I pray: that my son will grow into a sweet boy, that he will be showered with love daily and if he gets his daddy's nose that he will be as light hearted about it as his daddy is. Amen.

I've recently come to the realization that poop is a funny thing. I know, I know. People hate it when you talk about poop. I promise to spare you the gross details. Little Dude has been making a mess with it lately and he thinks it is hysterical (typical male, right?). When I go to change his clothes, he cracks up. He lays on the changing table and giggles nearly the entire time. Why do I have a bad feeling about this for the future? And who knew that poop was so funny?

When all else fails, it is nice to be able to laugh at yourself no matter the situation (yes, even when you're up to your elbows with poo). After all, isn't it widely known that laughter is the best medicine?

Welcome!

Welcome to Our Little Life blog!

I'm just a mommy here to talk about my life, my family and all of the joys & triumphs associated with it. This blog is mainly for family and friends to keep up with our busy life, but who knows what could come from this!

We recently welcomed our first child into this world. He is almost 3 months old now.

He is the reason I wake up every morning! I do believe I am mommy to the cutest boy ever (but I'm just a little biased). Check back often for updates and stories as we continue on our journey called life!